Dream Big, then Hold On!

There’s a story in the first book of the Bible, Genesis, that I want to focus on for a few moments. Allow me to paraphrase the story - the story of Joseph. You may have seen a play or production about him and his multi-colored robe. Joseph was the firstborn child of his mother, Rachel. He had 10 step-brothers who were quite jealous of him because he was his father’s favorite son.

One day, God gave Joseph a dream. In that dream he saw himself being placed in a position of leadership and his brothers and family becoming subservient to his leadership. Needless to say, his family wasn’t terribly favorable by that idea.

One day his brothers were watching their father’s flocks and Joseph was sent to check on them. When they saw him coming they plotted to squash his dreams, so they sold him into slavery and told their father that he was dead. (No one every said there weren’t dysfunctional families in the Bible!)

He was purchased by a man named Potipher and he quickly rose to the top of the servant’s ladder. However, Potipher’s wife thought Joseph was quite a handsome young man and wanted to sleep with him. Joseph refused, so she framed him, claiming rape, and he was imprisoned. While in prison he gained favor with the warden and rose to the top of the "privileged" list. He also interpreted a dream that another prisoner had, that ultimately came to be.

Some time later, that prisoner was restored to his position in the king’s palace. Then the king had a dream that troubled him and no one could tell him what it meant. The former prisoner remembered that Joseph had interpreted his dream and told the king who summoned Joseph to him. Joseph, with God’s help, was able to interpret the dream, so the king made him second in command in the entire kingdom. (Not too shabby for a boy turned slave turned prisoner, eh?)

Several years after that a famine hit the land, but Joseph’s wisdom had led them to store grain over the years so there was plenty. Famine also hit the land of his family, causing them to come to Joseph to ask for his assistance - which he readily gave. Ultimately, his original dream came to pass and he was in leadership over his family.

Whew! So, great story, right? But what does it all mean? Allow me to offer some words of encouragement to you from this story:

1) Hold on to the dreams God gives you. It might seem outrageous or even impossible, but never let go of it.

2) There are always going to be those who will tell you it can’t happen, those who will want to rain on your parade. Hold on to your dreams anyway!

3) There will be adversity to the dreams taking place. You have a choice: You can let the adversity discourage and ultimately destroy you, or you can press on with determination. Your decision will have a lot to do with the outcome of your dreams.

4) Ultimately, with God’s help, your dreams can happen. Just don’t ever give up!!!

Most people, when faced with the circumstances Joseph faced, would have given up. That’s due, in large part, to the fact that so few people believe in themselves anymore. Can I tell you something? God believes in you. And He can help you see those dreams come to pass, if you will let him.

One final word from the Bible. Ephesians 3:20 says, "With God’s power working in us, God can do much, much more than anything we can ask or imagine."

Let me give you my interpretation of that verse: With God’s power at work in me I can achieve the dreams He’s given me......and even more.

Let me encourage you to chase your dreams. Don’t let the naysayers slow you down. Go for it!!! I’ll be cheering you on. And when you get there, drop me a line and let me know. Until then, I’ll be in your corner!

Crushing Criticism

Tomorrow night is the big game: Memphis vs. Kansas for the NCAA National Championship in basketball. I didn’t get to see Memphis beat UCLA, but I watched Kansas play North Carolina. Wow! What a game!

UCLA made the Final Four, but doesn’t get to advance to the final game. But they have been there many times. Former coach John Wooden, who turned 97 last year, was once asked his opinion of retired Texas Tech and Indiana coach Bobby Knight. Wooden would only respond, "I think Bob Knight is an outstanding teacher of the game of basketball, but I don't approve of his methods. But I'm not a judge, and I'm not judging Bob Knight. There is so much bad in the best of us and so much good in the worst of us, it hardly behooves me to talk about the rest of us."

I think he understands what Henry Kaiser once said, "When your work speaks for itself, don’t interrupt."

Wooden has shown us what a legend looks like. He not only was a gentlemen on the court, he holds records that may never be broken. His 10 national championships, his 88 game winning streak, his phenomenal winning percentage, the players he groomed for stardom in the NBA - this is his legacy; he has no reason to add the title of "outspoken critic" to the list.

Yet it seems that so many are constantly critical, always criticizing others. In all our lives there are those who might be deemed "worthy" of outspoken criticism. But we have to choose: We can criticize, or we can care; we can lament or we can love.

The Bible says: You have no right to criticize your brother or look down on him. Remember, each of us will stand personally before the Judgment Seat of God. (Romans 14:10)

It’s not my job to criticize (although like many, I’ve become good at it. God, please forgive me.) I’d like to encourage you to strive toward leaving a legacy built, not upon our estimation (or criticism) of others, but upon our own measurable accomplishments. In other words, criticize less, do more. That’s what a legend looks like.